Hydraulic Ball Guide For Subsurface Ball Valves

[0026]In reference to FIG. 9, on upstroke of a pump system 20, a traveling ball valve 21 is disposed on the lower end of a plunger 23 engaging a sucker rod string 24. During upstroke, well fluid pressure seats the ball 25 of the traveling ball valve 21 against a seat plug 26 resulting from well fluid pressure created by the pump action of the pump system 20. During upstroke, an upper axial port 29 is open while a lower axial port 27 is closed when fluid pressure seats the ball 25 against the seat plug 26 preventing well fluids from flowing up through the lower axial port 27 and into the traveling ball valve chamber 28.

[0027]On downstroke, as referenced in FIG. 10, the ball 25 of the traveling ball valve 21 is unseated from the seat plug 26 because of hydraulic pressure resulting from the pump action of the pump system flowing up from the lower axial port 27, which pushes the ball 25 against a ball seat 31. During downstroke, well fluid pressure being forced up through the axial port 27